Keyboard mechanism of typographical composing and other keycontrolled machines



T. DRAKE.

KEYBOARD MECHANISM OF TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING AND OTHER KEY CONTROLLED MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1920.

1,398,092, Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. DRAKE.

KEYBOARD MECHANISM OF TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING AND OTHER KEY CONTROLLED MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10. 1920.

1,398,092. Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- venimt 0&2

im ww UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOM DRAKE, OF BROADHEATH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO LINOTYPE AND MACHINERY LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

KEYBOARD MECHANISM OF TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING AND OTHER KEY- CONTROLLED MACHINES.

Application filed September 10, 1920.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, To)! DRAKE, a subject of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at Linotype and Machinery Forks, Broadheath, in the county of Chester, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to the Keyboard ivlechanism of Typographical Composing and other Key- Controlled Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to keyboard mechanism of typographical composing and other key-controlled machines, and as it is particularly applicable to typographical composing machines, the following description deals with it only in that connection; it will however be readily understood that the invention is also applicable to the keyboards of other machines, and when so applied, only such modifications may be necessary as may be called for by the different character of the machines involved.

The particular typographical machine in connection with which the invention, as a convenient example, is hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is that known under the registered trade mark Linotype.

In these drawings Figure 1, is an elevation, as seen from the right-hand side, of suflicient of the machine to illustrate the application of the present invention thereto, and

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of Fig. l, partly broken away.

In the machine above particularized, the rear ends of the keys 1 engage with vertical key-rods 2 each adapted to be raised by he depression of its respective key, and when so raised, to release a cam-carriage 3, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, which, in turn, actuates an escapement rod or reed 4: controlling the operation of a matrix-releasing escapement, all of which is standard practice and therefore calls for no further descrip tion.

It is often necessary or desirable (as for example, when the operator is absent from the machine) to lock the keyboard so as to secure it against accidental or unauthorized operation, and, for that reason, devices have Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Serial No. 409,379.

already been provided for attaining the said result.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new or improved device for at taining a like result, said device combining simplicity of construction with efficiency of operation.

The key-rods 2 are usually formed with rearwardly presented shoulders 5 which, in the past, have been engaged by the locking devices employed, said devices sometimes consisting of bars either passed endwise or swung arcually over all of such shoulders and being retained in locking position by friction or otherwise.

According to the present invention the locking device consists of a bar 6 which is caused to engage and disengage the aforesaid shoulders 5 by imparting to it a parallel motion derived from mutually engaging stepped or cam slots 7 and studs 8; for the sake of distinction the bar 6 is shown hatchlined in Fig. 1.

In the preferred arrangement the slots 7 areformed in the bar 6 and each, has two parallel end portions in different horizontal planes, the intervening portion being curved as shown, or inclined while the relativelyimmovable studs 8 engaging with those slots may conveniently be secured to a rail 9 which serves to guide the key-rods in their vertical motion. The lower end of each of the slots has a recess 10 adapted to engage with the respective stud 8 when the bar is in its upper or inoperative position, in which it is represented in dot-and-dash lines in nig. 2, so as to present sufiicient resistance to prevent accidental movement of the bar 6 from that position; but other means such as a spring detent may be provided for that purpose.

One end of the bar 6 is fashioned into, or provided with a handle 11 located in a position convenient to the operator who, to lock the keyboard, has merely to move the said bar into the position, in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and to unlock it, has merely to move that bar into the position in which it is shown in dot-and-dash lines in that figure.

Although it is preferred that the cam slots 7 be provided in the movable member or bar 6 and that the stud 8 be stationary relatively to the said bar, it will be readily understood that the reverse of this arrangement falls equally well within the scope of the present invention, as also does the cooperation of the bar 6 with any appropriate parts other than the shoulders 5, for example, the rear ends of the keys 1 themselves.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a locking device for akeyboard mechanism such as described, the combination with the members to be locked, of a longitudinally movable bar, adapted to engage said members, a support on which the bar is longitudinally movable, and pin and slot connections between the support and bar serving to move the bar edgewise into and out of engagement with the members during its longitudinal motion, the slots of said 7 connections having parallel end portlons arranged to hold the bar positively in either of its terminal positions.

2. In a locking device for a keyboard mechanism such as described, the combination with the members to be locked, of a longitudinally movable bar adapted to engage said mechanism, a support on which the bar is longitudinally movable, studs fast to the support holding the bar slidably to it, and shaped slots in the bar engaging the studs operative to move the bar edgewise into and out of engagement with the members during its longitudinal motion, the slots having parallel end portions extending longitudinally of the bar and serving; to hold it positively in either or its terminal positions.

3. In a locking device for a keyboard mechanism suchas described, the combination with the members to be locked, of a longitudinally movable bar adapted to engage said mechanism, a support on which the bar is longitudinally movable, studs fast to the support holding the bar slidably to it, shaped slots in the bar engaging the studs, operative to move the bar edgewise into and out of engagement with the mem-. bers during its longitudinal motion, and recesses in the slots engaging the studs when the bar is in a terminal position to prevent accidental displacement of the bar from that position.

4. In a locking device for a keyboard mechanism such as described, the combination with the members to be locked, of a longitudinally movable bar adapted to engage said mechanism, a support on which the bar is longitudinally movable, studs fast to the support holding the bar slidably to it, shaped slots in the bar engaging the studs,

operative to move the bar edgewise into and out of engagement with the members during its longitudinal motion, recesses in the slots engaging the studs when the bar is in a terminal position to prevent accidental displacement of the bar from that position, and a handle on the bar whereby it can be moved longitudinally.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature hereto.

TOM DRAKE. 

